Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Join Thalia United Methodist Church for worship Sundays at 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

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Join Us

Join us on Sundays for traditional service at 8:30 am, and combined traditional and contemporary worship at 10:30 a.m. Children’s Church at 10:30 a.m. and nursery is also available.

About Us

Get In Touch

Have a question about any of our ministries or worship times? Click below to message us directly!

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Sharing God's Grace

Welcome to the virtual home of Thalia United Methodist Church! We are located one mile east of Town Center in Virginia Beach. Our mission is to educate and nurture our local community in the faith and love of Jesus Christ. We envision Thalia United Methodist Church as a dynamic church committed to sharing God’s grace through Christian service to our community. We look forward to welcoming you to Thalia UMC!

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Pastor Open Office Hours

Administration Office Hours

Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

By appointment after 1 p.m. and Fridays

Send Us a Message

Pastor Open Office Hours

By appointment

Appointment Request

Thalia Devotional Guide - Lent 2024

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Join Us in Worship

At Thalia United Methodist Church, we welcome everyone to worship with us! Pastor Joe offers a dynamic message at both services every Sunday. At 8:30 a.m., we have the "Morning Praise and Prayer" service done in the traditional style. Our 10:00 a.m. service is a combined service that integrates both traditional and contemporary elements.


No matter who you are or where you come from, we invite you to join us in worship. We celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday, and all are welcome at the Lord’s Table.

Our Beliefs

Teaching the Word of God to All People

We welcome you with open arms and loving hearts. We are so glad that you are here with us today. If you are looking for answers to your questions about God and His Son, Jesus Christ, you have found the right place.


The United Methodist Church is committed to nurturing and teaching the word of God to all people. In fact, our mission statement says just that. But in addition to preaching the word of God, we also support and care about one another. We welcome you to be a part of this church. We want you to join us in spreading the good news to all people about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and we want to have you as a part of our church family. Please feel free to ask questions and look around when you visit.


When we join the United Methodist Church, we are asked to participate in the life of the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Each of these components is an integral part of a holy covenant.


Throughout its more than 50 years, Thalia United Methodist Church has provided opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, and service. We have built a strong foundation on which we will continue to build into the future. We invite you to join our fellowship and our family and become a valuable part of this mission.

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What We Believe

  • God

    Put very simply, we believe in the God made known through Jesus Christ. We believe God loves everything he created, even though we humans take for granted our free will. Free will is something God gave us as a result of his pure love for us so that we may truly and freely love God in return. God proves his love for us in that even though we are responsible for the mess we are in, he sent his Son Jesus, the one we believe is both God and human, to heal us by taking our wounds upon himself on the cross when he did not deserve them.

  • Jesus

    By the Spirit of the one who raised Christ from the dead, our church exists to function as the physical body of Christ in the world today and to share his healing with the broken. None of us are perfect, so we don’t expect anyone who joins us to be perfect either. However, I believe we are going on to learn from Christ how to love God and each other perfectly. We know this one God to be triune, which is why you may hear Christians pray, "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." The Trinity sounds confusing because it is a holy mystery.

  • The Holy Spirit

    Nonetheless, it is the mystery of God being both one substance in three persons and three persons in one essence that gives ultimate meaning to who we are as children of the Holy Triune God. Our prayer is for you to join us as we discover how we know, love, understand, and serve this holy and mysterious God in the world through the church today.

pastor

The Reverend Joseph Varner

Senior Pastor

Pastor Joe was born in Farmville, VA, to Dr. Lawrence and Linda Varner. The name they gave him was Edward Joseph Tucker Varner. Today, he just goes by Joe. Growing up in Farmville, he and his three siblings attended church with their parents every Sunday at Farmville United Methodist Church.

 

After graduating from Prince Edward County High School, he went to Randolph-Macon College (RMC) in Ashland, VA. In addition to majoring in Religious Studies and minoring in Ethics and Music, he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order, where he helped found a ministry for RMC students in fraternities and sororities. While a student at RMC, Joe met Morgan Greene of Virginia Beach.

Joe received his Masters of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 2014 and began his first appointment that summer as the Associate Pastor at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in the Richmond District. Joe and Morgan were married on May 2, 2015, and then welcomed their daughters, Mila, on July 14, 2016, and Mollie, on September 6, 2019, after arriving at Thalia United Methodist Church.

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History Behind Thalia United Methodist Church

In the early 1950s, several families in the Thalia community attended services held at Scott Memorial Methodist Church in Oceana. Realizing the need for a new church in the fast-growing Thalia community, a small group began meeting in one of the homes each Sunday. On January 18th, 1953, at precisely 3:00 p.m., the Thalia Methodist Church School was born and met in the old Thalia Civic Club (better known as the old fire house). We had an assortment of mismatched chairs, a piano, a pulpit, and a pot-bellied stove to keep us warm. On March 29, 1953, Thalia Church was organized with thirty-three charter members.


Through many difficulties and trials, the membership of both Sunday school and church grew under the leadership of our Supply Minister, Mr. E.E. Cox, who was a public school teacher. A building fund was set up in 1954. The sum of $5,999 was raised by August 21, 1955, and plans for building a permanent church proceeded. The Thalia Methodist Church cornerstone was laid during services, and on Sunday night, October 2, the church’s first revival took place. In this busy year, more than one hundred new members joined the congregation. By this time, the church was in need of a full-time pastor, and on June 16th, 1957, Mr. Cox preached his last sermon. Bill Asher took over, and Thalia Methodist was well on its way.


As membership continued to grow, plans for an education building were made. In 1960, classes first met in the new education building, and the new sanctuary was completed. Many additional improvements were soon under way. In 1967, a newer and bigger educational building was completed, and in January of 1970, a new sanctuary was consecrated (it is the one we enjoy today).

Throughout its over 60 years, Thalia United Methodist Church has provided opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, and service. We have built a strong foundation on which we will continue to build into the future.


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Church Staff

church staff

Rev. Joe Varner

Senior Pastor

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church staff

Rev. Dennis Morgan

MicroChurch Director

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church staff
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Bob Holdren

Sexton

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Contact Our Staff

Become a Member at Thalia UMC

There are a few ways of joining any local United Methodist Church: Baptism, Profession or Reaffirmation of Faith, and Transfer of Membership. As United Methodists, we celebrate infant and adult baptism. This means that we acknowledge God’s grace that is already at work in each of us before we are aware of our need for God’s love. We also acknowledge that there is a need for only one baptism to celebrate and signify God’s saving work through Jesus Christ, which means we do not re-baptize Christians. However, we encourage everyone to remember their baptism every day.

 

Those interested in membership are invited to submit a New Member Application to our Pastor, Rev. Joe Varner. There are three sections: Head of Household, Co-Head of Household, and Children. A printable version is also available for download.

After your application is submitted, the pastor will review it and contact you to schedule an interview where you will be able to ask questions, tour the church, meet our staff, and learn more about the United Methodist Church. In the meantime, you (and your family, if applicable) are welcome to attend any of our Sunday worship services.

Leadership Rooted in Love

Your interest in leadership at Thalia United Methodist Church suggests that God is calling and equipping you to make a positive impact on our community. It takes the prayers, gifts, service, and time of dedicated people like you to organize the local church to fulfill our mission. God calls every local church to help people comprehend the love of Jesus Christ. If you are answering a call to serve as a leader, please prayerfully consider applying for a leadership position at Thalia United Methodist Church so that, being rooted in love, we will help others grasp the wonder of God’s love.

Leadership Application

Leadership Team

The purpose of the Leadership Team is to simplify the administrative work of the Church Council (SPPRC, Finance, and Trustees) in order to resource the local church to accomplish its goal of growing disciples of Jesus Christ.


Members include:

  • Lay Leader
  • Pastor
  • Chair of the Leadership Committee
  • Chair of Trustees
  • Chair of Ministries
  • Chair of Staff Pastor Parish Relations (SPPRC)
  • Chair of Finance
  • Ministry Council Chair
  • 3 at-large members

Leadership Application

Ministry Council

The purpose of the Ministry Council is to coordinate the ministry teams that provide hands-on opportunities to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Each ministry team has a chairperson and sub-groups to perform the work of organizing opportunities for people in our community to grow in Christ.


Ministry teams include:


I. Director of Discipleship – chairperson 

II. Director of Music

III. Contemporary Worship Lead 

IV. Representatives from: 

  • Spiritual Formation
  • Worship
  • Missions
  • Fellowship
  • United Women in Faith 
  • United Methodist Men

To apply to be a chairperson, you will need to complete a Spiritual Gifts Inventory, Primary Leadership Components Assessment (PLC), and Leadership Application. Pastor Joe, who will review all applications with the Nominating Committee, thanks you for your willingness to serve Christ with us!

PLC Assessment

Church Newsletter

Check out past issues or use the button below to subscribe and have our newsletter delivered to your email inbox!

Contribute in Worship

Thalia United Methodist Church provides multiple ways for individuals to use their gifts to praise God every week in worship. Contributing to worship takes many forms, which may include work behind the scenes preparing for worship or in front of the congregation on Sunday. To learn more about how you may offer your skills to praise God in this ministry, please contact our Worship Chairperson.

  • Acolytes
  • Sacraments
  • Wedding Coordinator
  • Ushers
  • Altar Guild
  • Funeral Coordinator
  • Media Team
  • Music
  • Liturgist

Contact Us to Learn More About Volunteering

New to Thalia United Methodist Church?

Find Answers to Your Questions

  • Is there someone that will greet visitors?

    Ushers are available to welcome guests and offer assistance during worship.

  • How long do worship services last?

    Most services last an hour.

  • Is there handicapped parking available?

    Yes. We recommend those needing handicapped parking use the spaces located at the rear of the building, which are closer to the sanctuary.

  • What should I wear?

    You are welcome to come as you are or dress up in your Sunday best. Our sanctuary is climate-controlled, but we recommend you still dress for the elements.

  • Is free parking available?

    Yes. We have a large parking lot that is free to use during worship services.

  • How will I know if worship is canceled due to inclement weather?

    If worship service is canceled or postponed due to inclement weather, an announcement will be posted on our website and social media accounts as soon as the decision is made. However, we encourage all visitors to exercise caution when making the decision to travel in inclement weather.

  • Are sermons available online?

    You can listen to Pastor Joe’s sermons on the Sermons page. You can also view the bulletin for the week.

    *Sermons are currently available as mp3 audio files, which should play automatically on most devices and computers


    *Bulletins are available as a PDF file. If your computer does not have a PDF reader, you can download and install a free PDF Reader from Adobe HERE

  • Can non-members attend a worship service?

    Yes, all are welcome to join us for worship. If you are interested in membership, you may also submit an application online here.

  • How do I get there?

    We are conveniently located about one mile east of Town Center on Virginia Beach Blvd. From I-264, take the Independence Blvd North exit. At the third stoplight, turn right onto Virginia Beach Blvd. Travel approximately one mile east on Virginia Beach Blvd and you will find us on the right side.

    You may also click the map below to get driving directions from your location.

  • Why is Thalia United Methodist Church so popular?

    The United Methodist Church is committed to nurturing and teaching the word of God to all people. In addition to preaching the word of God, we also support and care about one another. We welcome you to be a part of this church. Thalia United Methodist Church wants you to join us in spreading the good news to everyone about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and we want to have you as a part of our church family. Please contact us with your questions and look around when you visit.


    When we join the United Methodist Church, we are asked to get involved in the life of the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Each of these components is a vital part of a holy covenant.


    For more than 50 years, Thalia United Methodist Church has offered opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, and service. We have laid a strong foundation on which we will continue to build into the future. We invite you to join our fellowship and our family and become a valuable part of this mission.


    If you are interested in learning more about Thalia United Methodist Church, please contact us.